Howard's Return
by crazytomboy78
Summary: Theories of mine about the reunion of Tony with his father. One-shot, a little Pepperony.


As the Mandarin disappeared, the group grew quiet. Tony just stared over at his father, trying to absorb the reality of the moment. It seemed that the two Starks could not find a single word to tell each other.

"T-Tony, what...are you...how long was I gone?" He asked. He had an itching feeling and several hints around him that said several things had changed since he had seen his son last. Tony hesitated to speak for a few moments longer.

"Dad...is that really you?" Tony asked quietly. It'd been so long, he felt like he didn't even know the man anymore.

"Yes, Tony, it's really me...are you okay? What happened?" Howard responded. Tony stared a bit longer. Tony stepped closer to his father and studied his features closely. It was the small things about his father that he had missed the most; the furrowing brow that developed when he was concentrating on something…his cheerful expression, his constant optimistic attitude. Just seeing all those small things again sent his mind reeling.

The thing that came strangest to Tony was how everything was halfway back to normal. No metal heart, just him and his dad and Stark International...except now he didn't have Stark International and it wasn't just him and his dad.

"Tony, answer him," Pepper said quietly, nudging him along.

"M-maybe we should sit down..." Tony said, shaking free of the trance he had just fallen into. He led Howard back to the armory to talk.

"I've been meaning to ask, son, is this your girlfriend?" Howard asked, noticing the girl standing close to Tony that he didn't recognize.

"What? No! We-we're just friends…" Tony explained, a blush forming on his and Pepper's cheeks.

"Did I hit a sour spot there?" Howard asked Rhodey quietly. Rhodey smirked.

"Oh, you bet." Rhodey responded.

"Yeah, Tony's never really _liked _a girl before…"

"I can tell." Rhodey responded, causing the two to snicker. Noticing Tony's distress, Rhodey cleared his throat and returned to a more serious tone.

"Look, you should know that a lot has changed since Gene kidnapped you. Tony's been through a lot, I think it's best to slow this all down and let him take it in slowly." Rhodey explained as they walked behind Tony. Howard nodded in understanding.

They got to the armory and sat down. The three friends retracted their armors and put them away, then sat down. Howard observed his surroundings in amazement; he had had no idea that his son had it in him to create something this large and advanced. He was very impressed, but he knew that there were more important things to be discussed before he asked about the lab.

"Tony, why don't you catch your dad up on everything that's happened lately?" Pepper nudged as she watched Tony sit down and look to the floor, a perplexed look on his face.

"Well...a lot..." Tony began. "I don't really even know where to begin." He said, looking back up at Howard. Howard noticed the shock and confusion in his eyes, and knew that all this was beginning to be too much for the boy.

"What happened to you in that plane crash, Tony? How did you survive? I was sure you were dead until Gene told me otherwise." Howard asked.

"That's funny, I thought you were dead and when I found out the truth, a trusted friend stabbed me in the back..." Tony muttered.

"Tony, that's the past, you have to let it go. Your dad is here now. Everything is okay." Pepper assured.

"No, it's not okay…" Tony said with a sigh. He was silent for a long while before he finally stood. "I'm sorry, I can't do this, I have to go." Tony said suddenly, standing up and going back home.

"Aren't we going to go after him?" Howard asked, standing after his boy.

"It's better to leave him be for a little bit...you'll have to excuse him. You have to understand everything he's been through in the past two years. It's a lot for one kid to take in. On top of losing his father, he has had to juggle being Iron Man, he had to get used to the public school life, be betrayed by his trusted friend, lose his company to Stane and Hammer, piss off Whitney to no end which is perfectly perfect actually, and a whole bunch of people finding out his secret identity. It's been tough for him," Rhodey explained. Just listening made Howard feel depressed. He didn't even know every detail of these situations, and he imagined the worst.

"I know, I guess my reappearance was kind of sudden...I, of all people, should know that Tony takes time to accept things like this…" Howard responded. "Maybe we should just find him a little later."

"No, I'll go talk to him. He needs to face this and he knows it. He's been hiding away in his room moping when these sorts of things happen and it's about time he faces this." Pepper said, proceeding to exit the lab and follow after Tony. When she didn't see him, she assumed he had gone home to his room.

She found him sitting on the edge of his bed, head resting in hands. He had cast his gaze to the floor. Pepper sat down beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, Tony, you haven't seen your dad in two years. You need to come back and talk to him." Pepper said quietly.

"I know, and I want to, but it's just too weird. That's what's got me, it's been two years. Everything is different now. I-I just feel like I don't know him anymore," Tony responded. "I feel like we're two completely different people."

"Maybe if you rekindle your relationship with him that would change." Pepper said quietly. Tony looked at her briefly before sighing.

"I guess you're right…" He said. "I'll go talk to him." Tony finished as he stood.

"Good, because Rhodey is bringing your dad here to talk." Pepper explained. Tony sighed and the two headed downstairs to meet Rhodey and Howard so they could rekindle broken ties with Howard. As they sat down in the living room, Tony took a deep breath and began to explain everything that had happened in the last two years.

**Another quick one! Review!**


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